Tile-press.



N0. 830,160. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906. W. P. MEEKER.

TILE PRESS APPLICATION FILED MAYIO. 1905.

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PATENTED SEPT. 4; 1906.

W. P. MEEKE'R.

TILE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY10.1905.

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PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

W. P. MBEKER.

TILE PRESS.

APPLIOATIION FILED MAY10.1905.

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W. P. MBEKBR.

TILE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. 1905.

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' UNITE STATES PATENT UFFiUh.

TILE-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed May 10, 1905. Serial No. 259,651.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM PASSMORE MEEKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of presses which are used for making tiles from plastic vitreous material; and it consists in the particulars hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an end elevation, and Fig. 4 atop view, of the novel portion of a press embodying my improvements. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line m :10 of Fig. 4 of the corner of the press sides and of the cocentric locking-pin. Fig. 5 is a top view of the bottom die. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the top die unlocked. Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the bottom die on the line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tile made on my improved press looking to the right on the line Z Z of Fig. 9, which is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 10 is an end view, with part of the die sides broken away, on the line V V of Fig. 11 of a modification of my press; and

Fig. 11 is a full top view of the same on the line UU of Fig. 10. Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are end views of modifications of the bottom die. Figs. 15,16, and 17 are corresponding top views, and Fig. 18 is a side elevation of the forms shown in these modifications.

Similar letters of reference designate similar parts in all the figures.

The bottom die A is preferably mounted upon a base B, which may be provided with handles ,6 b for convenient manipulation. This base B rests upon the bed of an ordinary press. The bottom die A is provided with grooves or depressions in its upper surface adapted to produce projections or flanges, preferably undercut, on the bottom of the tile, which is molded upon it. I have shown the bottom die A as having a rabbeted edge a, with a depressed inner angle, and having recesses G C, in which slide the tapered ribs D D, forming between their tops and the sides of the recesses C C openings 0 c. The recesses C C have upwardly-inclined bottoms, upwardly and outwardly flaring sides, and vents c c, and the ribs D D are of a form to slide into the grooves, as shown. The ribs are also provided with suitable handles (Z (Z, by which they may be drawn out or pushed into the bottom mold A. The rabbet a is continued across the ends of the ribs D D; but its inner side is extended back on a line at least parallel to the bottom of the ribs, so that the rib may be withdrawn from beneath the molded tile without injuring the rim thereof. The top or female member of the mold E is formed of a cap F, which may have a face-plate G (shown in broken lines in Figs. 1 and 2) with an undercut edge g g.

The sides H H are hinged to each other, and they may also be hinged to the cap F by a pivot-pin I, the sides being held together at the opposite corner by the eccentric-pin J, rotation of which will lock the sides H H around the face-plate G, which they will clamp securely, because of the clamping together of the inclined surfaces of the side grooves h h with the undercut edge 9 g of the face-plate G, forming a close and secure joint between the parts. The reverse movement of the eccentric-pin J will open the sides H H slightly, as shown in Fig. 6, in which the inner broken line indicates the edge of the faceplate and the outer broken line indicates the bottom of the groove h, and if it is desired to open the sides H H widely the eccentric-pin J may be lifted out and the sides swung apart by means of the handles it 71/, which are inserted in suitable sockets in the sides H H.

The upper mold E is preferably attached to the plunger K of an ordinary press, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 1, through rods L L, firmly secured to the top of the cap F by being screwed into it or otherwise and which slide up through holes in a ring, plate, or flange M and are held above the same by suitable nuts Z Z. These rods L L are surrounded by coiled springs N N, which are held between the ring, plate, or flange Mend the part to which the bottoms of the rods are secured. The face of the plunger K is preferably provided with an extension is, and a pin or knob O is secured beneath it to the top of the capplate F.

In Figs. 12 to 18 I have illustrated modi fied forms of the bottom die A, wherein the die A is provided with hinged side members P P, pivoted at p p to an extension Q of the die A, so as to admit of being swung out laterally from' the bottom of the die A, thus freeing the undercut portions of the tile which may be molded therein. These undercut portions may be inclined flanges, as would be produced by the form shown in Figs. 12 and 15, or an undercut rib, as would be produced in the case of Figs. 13 and 16, or undercut lugs, as would be produced by the form shown in Figs. 14 and 17. The side members P P are manipulated by suitable handles R R, and the modified die is preferably mounted upon a base B, similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

My press may be operated as follows: A suitable quantity of plastic vitreous material is thrown upon the top of the mold A, which is then slipped beneath the upper mold E.

I The plunger 1S then brought down, bringing the parts of the mold together, the smooth face-plate G flattening out the material beneath it. As the material spreads the resistance increases sufficiently to carry the weight of the upper die, and a continuous yielding and increasing pressure is produced upon the material through the springs N N, which are compressed between the plunger and the die until the end of the plunger is strikes the pin or knob 0, giving a positive and final pressure upon the material and driving it out into all the angles and recesses of the mold. This operation of compressing the material with a yielding but gradually increasing and finally positive pressure results in spreading the material smoothly and evenly beneath the face-plate G without forming wrinkles or air-holes and so as to produce a uniform smooth and even surface, and as the edges of the face-plate overlap the vertical inner faces of the sides H H the line of junction between the face-plate and sides is horizontal, and no vertical fin can be found on the edges of the tile, which will be cleancut and regular, whereas if a male plunger is brought down into a female die the line of junction between the plunger and the die is vertical and a vertical fin is produced on the edge of the tile, rendering it unmarketable, and if the tile is formed face down in a lower female mold wrinkles are produced upon its face by the stiffening of the material by contact with the mold before it has been perfectly spread, and air-pockets will be found beneath the material, and the tile is thus marred and defaced.

When the tile has been pressed as above, the pressure on the plunger may be removed, the eccentric-pin K is turned so as to open the sides H H, as shown in Fig. 6, freeing the sides of the mold from the edges of the tile, and the upper die is then raised, leaving the molded tile resting on the lower die. The ribs D D may then be withdrawn slightly, so as to free the tile-flanges, and the tile is allowed to set, which it will do without warp- D D are drawn out and the tile is removed from the lower die and may be annealed in the usual manner.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a modification of my press, wherein the spring-supported plate M is placed between the base B and the sides H H, the latter resting upon and being carried by the plate M, which is covered by but not secured to the cap-plate F. This modification embraces the most essential elements of my invention, inasmuch as the sides and cap-plate when brought together form a female die and move as one piece in the operation of pressing the tile. So far as the operation of this modified form 'difier's from that of the primary form it is as follows: The sides H H are locked together and are placed around the die A, resting on the springsupported plate M. The vitreous material is placed 011 top of the die A, which is then slid beneath the press, and the plunger K is brought down, its cap F covering and lapping over the upper edges of the sides H H, thus closing the top of the mold. The pres sure is continued until the tile has been properly compressed in the mold. The pressure is then released, the sides unlocked, the plunger raised, the sides lifted off from around the die A, and the tile is removed, as already described.

By means of my improvements I am enabled to mold an undercut tile face up and to readily and effectually free it from the mold, producing a perfect, straight, and completed article at a single operation.

I wish it to be understood that the outlines of the mold may be varied to produce different shapes of tilessuch as squares, heXagons, or other desired formsand the sides of the mold may be formed of more than two hinged members if the outline of the molded article should require this in order to readily free the article from the mold.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die embodying a top with side portions closing laterally and partially beneath the lower face of the top, and a lower, male die provided with movable members therein having their tops on a level with the face of the die.

2. The combination, in a tilepress, of an upper, female die embodying a top with side portions closing laterally and partially beneath the lower face of the top, and a lower, male die provided with movable members therein having their tops on a level with the face of the die, and laterally-inclined openings between the sides of the movable members and the die.

3. The combination, in a tile-press, of an ing or twisting. When it has set, the ribs portions closing laterally and partially be neath the lower face of the top, and a lower, male die provided with movable members therein having their tops on a level with the face of the die, and having a guttered marginal rabbet.

5. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die with laterally-movable sides closing against and partially beneath a top, and a lower, male die provided with movable members therein having their tops on a level with the face of the die 6. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, provided with a guttered, marginal rabbet and with upwardly-flaring grooves, ribs sliding therein, inclined depressions between said ribs and die, and an upper female die.

7. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower male die, provided with a guttered, marginal rabbet and with upwardly-flaring grooves, ribs sliding therein, a series of inclined depressions between said ribs and die, and an upper, female die.

8. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, provided withupwardlyflaring grooves, and ribs sliding therein, and inclined depressions between said ribs and die, and an upper, female die.

9. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, provided with upwardlyflaring grooves, with inclined bottoms, and ribs sliding therein, and inclined depressions between said ribs and die, and an upper fe male die.

10. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die embodying relatively movable top and side portions meeting in the plane of the tops lower face by a movement in that plane.

11. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die embodying a top and laterally-movable sides meeting the top by a movement in the plane of its lower face? 12. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper female die, provided with a plate, overlapping the inner sides of the die.

13. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die, provided with a plate having undercut edges and overlapping the inner sides of the die.

14. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper,!female die, provided with laterally-movable and interiorlygrooved sides, and a plate having edges overlapping and locking into said grooved sides.

15. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die provided with a cap with laterally-movable sides pivoted and adapted to be locked beneath and thereto.

16. The combination, in a tilepress, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die, provided with a cap with laterally-movable sides pivoted, and adapted to be locked, thereto, by an eccentric-pin.

17. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, and an upper, female die provided with a flaring mouth, and laterallymovable sides.

18. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die having a top overlapping movable sides, a plunger, and a yielding connection between said die and plunger.

19. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die having a top overlapping movable sides, a plunger, and a yielding spring connection between said die and plunger.

20. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die having a top overlapping laterally-movable sides, a plunger, a connection adapted to yield and to bring into operation a positive connection between said die and plunger, and a lower, male die.

21. The combination, in a tilepress, of a lower, male die, a plunger, an upper female die embodying relatively movable top and side portions meeting in the plane of the tops lower face, and a yielding connection between said female die and plunger.

22. The combination, in a tile-press, of a lower, male die, a plunger, an upper, female die embodying a top and laterally-movable sides meeting the top in the line of its lower face, and a yielding connection between said female die and plunger.

23. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper female die having a top overlapping laterally-movable sides, a plunger, a yielding connection embodying springs and guides, and rigid members upon said die and plunger adapted to be brought into contact by the compression of said yielding connection, and a lower, male die.

24. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die having a top overlapping laterally-movable sides, a plunger, a yielding connection embodying springs and guides, and rigid members upon said die and plunger adapted to be brought into contact by the compression of said yielding connection, and a lower, male die, with depressions in its face.

25. The combination, in a tile-press, of an upper, female die with movable sides, a plunger, a yielding connection between said die and plunger, and a bottom die having under- I having undercut depressions formed by movcut depressions formed by movable members. able members.

26. The combination,in a tile-press, of an upper, female die, with movable sides, a WILLIAM PASSMORE MEEKER" 5 plunger, a connection adapted to yield and to Witnesses: 4

ring into operation a positive connection be- WM. D. NEILLY,

tween said die and plunger, and a bottom-die WILLIAM H. MOHR. 

